Woman shot by Putnam deputy after opening fire with rifle

A 61-year-old Putnam County woman was shot four times after opening fire on deputies early Monday, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Diana Lucille Conner of the 100 block of Twin Lake Grove Drive was in the intensive care unit at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville later in the morning.

She was shot by two-year deputy Thomas Burger after coming out of her residence and opening fire with a rifle, said Sgt. Hancel Woods. He said a deputy had been at the residence off State Road 20 near Interlachen at about 1 a.m. after she called the Sheriff’s Office to say there were prowlers outside.

Deputy Blaine Moody didn’t find anyone outside, but dispatchers could not convince Conner to come out, even after turning on his emergency lights to identify himself, Woods said.

“Apparently she didn’t believe it was a deputy,” Woods said. “He left because she was OK.”

About two hours later, neighbors complained that Conner was calling them about a prowler, so Moody returned to the house and Burger also responded.

Woods said Conner came out of the residence with a rifle, and the uniformed deputies told her to drop her weapon. Moody also contacted dispatchers to tell her the same.

She did not drop the rifle and opened fire, Woods said.

Burger shot back, striking Conner, who fired again after she was hit. Woods said rounds from Conner’s rifle hit a neighbor’s home, shattering its French doors. No one else was injured.

Woods said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating to determine if the shooting was justified.